9 Reasons Why the New Coronavirus Vaccine is Not Far Away

On September 3, Spain's 'Public Daily' website published an article entitled 'Nine Reasons You Can Believe Anti-Coronavirus Vaccines Will Come Out in 2021' on August 27. The author is William Petri, professor at the School of Medicine, University of Virginia.

Here is the article :

As the winter approaches, many of us are asking whether the competition for the new coronavirus vaccine can be fruitful by January 2021.

I am a medical researcher and infectious disease expert at the University of Virginia, leading a new coronavirus research team. People often ask me why I am so sure that the new coronavirus vaccine will succeed. After all, we have not developed an AIDS vaccine until now.

I will explain to you the current status of scientific research and development of the new coronavirus vaccine, the development expectations in 5 months, and why we should believe in the successful development of an effective new crown vaccine.

1. The human immune system can overcome the new coronavirus

In all cases of new coronavirus infection, 99% of patients finally overcome the infection and the virus disappears from the body.

In some patients who have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the virus can remain in their bodies at very low levels for up to three months after they overcome the infection. However, most of these patients will not spread the virus to others within 10 days after being infected with the virus.

Therefore, the development of a new coronavirus vaccine is much easier than a vaccine for other viruses (such as AIDS), because the human immune system cannot naturally cure the disease when infected with many other viruses. The mutation mode of the new coronavirus is different from that of HIV, so it is also very beneficial to the operation of the immune system and the development of vaccines.

2. Antibodies against S protein can prevent infection

The vaccine will provide partial protection by inducing antibodies against the S protein on the surface of the new coronavirus.

The new coronavirus needs S protein to attach and enter human cells, and then reproduce. Studies have shown that antibodies such as those produced by the human immune system can bind to the S protein, neutralize and prevent the new coronavirus from continuing to infect cells grown in the laboratory.

The vaccine currently in clinical trials can increase S protein antibodies, thereby preventing the virus from infecting cells in the laboratory. At least seven companies have developed monoclonal antibodies, laboratory antibodies that can recognize S protein. These antibodies are being used in clinical trials to evaluate their ability to prevent infection in close contacts.

Monoclonal antibodies are also effective for treatment. During the infection process, a certain dose of these monoclonal antibodies can neutralize the virus, so that the immune system can capture and produce its own antibodies to fight the pathogen.

3. S protein is fragile

The S protein has many points where antibodies can bind to and neutralize the virus. This is good news, because there are so many vulnerabilities, the virus will not be so easy to face vaccine mutations.

To avoid neutralization of the S protein, many parts of it must be mutated. Too many mutations will change its structure, making it unable to bind to the new coronavirus receptor ACE2, which is the key to infecting human cells.

4. We know how to produce a safe vaccine

The safety of the vaccine against the new coronavirus will be higher because researchers already know the possible side effects of the vaccine and know how to avoid such side effects.

One of the side effects observed in the past is the increase in antibody dependence in viral infections. This happens when the antibody does not neutralize the virus, but allows it to enter the cell through the antibody receptor. Studies have found that when S protein immunization is used, higher levels of neutralizing antibodies will be produced, which will reduce the risk of antibody dependence.

Another possible problem with some vaccines is an allergic reaction that causes inflammation of the lungs. This is a dangerous side effect because lung inflammation can cause breathing difficulties. However, today our scientists already know how to avoid this allergic reaction during the development of a vaccine.

5. Multiple vaccines are under development

Relevant parties are supporting the development of several different vaccines. The goal of this action is to provide hundreds of millions of safe and effective vaccines by January 2021.

Relevant departments are also making huge investments, investing billions of dollars to develop 7 vaccines against the new coronavirus. By supporting the development of different new coronavirus vaccines, all parties are working hard to ensure their safety and broadness.

6. The vaccine is passing the first and second phases of the trial

The first and second phases of the trial are used to check whether the vaccine is safe and whether it can trigger an immune response. So far, three different vaccines have achieved very promising results, because the results observed in patients who have overcome the new coronavirus are: these vaccines have doubled or even doubled the level of neutralizing antibody production. Three times.
At present, the American pharmaceutical company Modena, Oxford University and China Cansino Biotech Co., Ltd. have all proved the safety of their vaccines in the first and second phases of clinical trials.

7. The third phase of the clinical trial is underway

In the third phase of the trial (the last step in the vaccine development process), the vaccine has been tested in thousands of people to determine whether it can prevent the new coronavirus infection and determine its safety.

8. Speed ​​up the production and distribution of vaccines

Although researchers have not yet proven its efficacy and safety, relevant parties have provided funds to produce millions of doses of the vaccine and mass production on an industrial scale. The advantage of this strategy is that once the vaccine is proven safe in the Phase III trial, the stock can be activated and the vaccine can be distributed immediately.

9. Signing a contract with a vaccine distributor

Large-scale vaccine distributors have signed contracts with relevant parties to distribute the new crown vaccine to all areas, including clinics and hospitals.

In short, I believe we can be sure that at some point in the end of 2020, we will know whether certain new coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective, and we will determine which vaccine should be used to vaccinate the population in 2021.